The partisan vote for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act illustrates strong divide on American issues as fundamental as the right to vote.
House Democrats passed a bill to restore voting rights. Now it’s up to the US Senate.
The bill, named after the late Georgia Congressman John Lewis, aims to continue his fight to protect Americans’ right to vote.
While every Democrat voted yes, all Republicans voted no on this bill.
President Joe Biden thanked House Democrats and encouraged the Senate to move it forward.
It’s unlikely that it will pass in the Senate. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell called the bill “unnecessary,” claiming that voter suppression is not an issue.
What Is the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that prevent voter suppression, particularly to people of color. States will no longer be able to pass anti-voter laws such as limiting access to polling places or ballot boxes.
This bill reverses a 2013 US Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to change their voting laws without federal approval.
Republicans, who spent the last year discrediting the 2020 presidential election, continue to disagree with Democrats on what a fair election process looks like.
This partisan vote illustrates the strong divide between parties on American issues as fundamental as the right to vote.
Who Voted Against the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act?
- Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks)
- John Joyce (R-Blair)
- Fred Keller (R-Snyder)
- Mike Kelly (R-Butler)
- Dan Meuser (R-Luzerne)
- Scott Perry (R-York)
- Guy Reschenthaler (R-Allegheny)
- Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster)
- Glenn Thompson (R-Centre)
Full Pennsylvania Roll Call
- Brendan F. Boyle (D-Philadelphia) Yea
- Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) Yea
- Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery) Yea
- Michael F. Doyle (D-Allegheny) Yea
- Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia) Yea
- Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) Nay
- Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester) Yea
- John Joyce (R-Blair) Nay
- Fred Keller (R-Snyder) Nay
- Mike Kelly (R-Butler) Nay
- Conor Lamb (D-Allegheny) Yea
- Dan Meuser (R-Luzerne) Nay
- Scott Perry (R-York) Nay
- Guy Reschenthaler (R-Allegheny) Nay
- Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Delaware) Yea
- Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster) Nay
- Glenn Thompson (R-Centre) Nay
- Susan Wild (D-Lehigh) Yea
Politics
Court tosses Republican Pennsylvania lawmakers’ challenge of state, federal voter access actions
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — An attempt by conservative Pennsylvania lawmakers to overturn a shift to automatic voter registration was dismissed by a...
Pennsylvanians rally outside Supreme Court as justices debate restrictions on reproductive rights
Over 100 Philadelphia area residents traveled to Washington DC on Tuesday and joined reproductive rights advocates outside the US Supreme Court as...
Jeffrey Yass, floated as Trump’s Treasury Secretary, tries to bail Trump out financially
Pennsylvania’s richest billionaire was recently floated as a possible candidate to be Trump’s Treasury Secretary. News of Jeffrey Yass’ financial...
Local News
8 things you may not know about Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie has been receiving a fair amount of attention recently, as Pennsylvania’s northwestern corner is the only spot in the state where the full...
House fire in Western Pa. kills man, 4 children as 3 other family members are rescued
Investigators were searching Thursday for the cause of a fire that tore through a house in the Pittsburgh suburbs, killing a man and four children...